1.9 About notable things which happened in and around Cluny

After having treated that which relates to the respect due to the divine sacraments and the efficacy of truth confession, with the help of the Lord, we pass now to something which is no less useful for the edification of manners. I reveal, insofar as I am able, the visions or appearances of the dead which I was able to learn from various people. Truly it can be said that in our times, such visions occur frequently. Indeed, many men worthy of faith (belief) affirm that the image of the dead appear to the living to tell to them things very often true and demonstrated. I think that the narration of such things will not be badly received by the readers, those especially which touch on the present life for the future life…Exiled in this terrestrial pilgrimage, great is their reward and even greater still is their consolation in these present miseries in which they daily sigh, and while they seek to speak of this fatherland to which they sigh with passion and … I learned many things from a multitude of people. in their narration, I do not observe a chronological order, for I could not clearly determine from my sources, and even if I could have, I would not care to observe it. Furthermore, of what utility is it, to know whether something happened before and after the events to be recounted… The deeds of the time have much more importance than the time of the deeds. It seems only opportune to proceed from those which happen most closely to those which occur further away and, for this reason, to talk first about those which I learned to have happened at the monastery of Cluny and its surroundings.

This monastery of Cluny is glorified above all others throughout the whole world on account of its manner of life, the severity of its discipline, the number of its brethren, and its observance of the monastic order; it is a singular and universal refuge for sinners, by which numerous losses are inflicted upon Hell and the innumerable gains are won for the kingdom of Heaven. There, uncountable multitudes of men, casting off the heavy burdens of the world from their shoulders, submitted their necks to the sweet yoke of Christ.[1]There, the men of all orders, dignities and careers exchange the … and luxury for the humble life and the poverty of monks. There, even venerable bishops, escaping also the weight of secular affairs choose the life of a manner more sure and peaceful, preferring to obey more than command. There, the unbeatable and inexhaustible combat against the powers of evil brings the palm of victory daily to the soldiers of Christ. For the residents of his place, who, by continual effort, subject the flesh to the spirit, living, as the Apostle says, as Christ and dying their reward.

Due to the balm of spiritual virtues flowing [from Cluny], the entire edifice of the world was filled with theperfume of their ointment, when the fervour of monastic religion, which had almost grown cold in that time, revived under the example and zeal of those monks. Gaul, Germany and even Britain, across the Channel, testify to the above; Spain, Italy and all of Europe confess it, filled [as they are] with monasteries –some founded newly by them and others restored from past decline. There, colleges of monks persevere day and night in divine praise and in other exercises of the spiritual virtues, just as celestial troops surround God in accordance with their rank [ordinibus] such that through them also, it is possible to understand the saying of the prophet: Blessed are those who live in your house, O Lord, who praise you everlasting. But why would I name only some parts of the world, when our renown has traveled from our Western borders to the ends of the East and penetrates every corner of the Christian world? Indeed, [Cluny] is the vine and [her monks] are the branches, who bear much fruit (according to the Gospel’s judgement) by cleaving truly to the Christ-vine and having been purified by the Father-gardener.[2]

It seems best to not delay further, but even though this does not pertain to our objective and that such a subject cannot be treated with such a brief discussion… it is nonetheless necessary to interrupt now these considerations and to arrive at, as we have promised, what it remains to us to say about the revelations of the dead.

[1]DM I, viiii, 28-34 passim.

[2]DM, I, 9, ll. 44-60, p. 36 (110-11); Hinc effusa spiritualium uirtutum nardo, impleta est tota mundi domus, ex odore ungenti, dum religionis monastice feruor, qui illo tempore pene refriguerat, illorum uirorum exemplo studioque recaluit. Gallia, Germania transmarina quoque Britannia hoc testatur, Hispania, Italia, totaque Europa fatetur, plena monasteriis, ab eis aut nouiter fundatis, aut ab antiquo senio reparatis. Ibi monachorum collegia, in morem celestium agminum per ordines suos Deo assistentia, cum aliis sanctarum uirtutum exercitiis, diuinis laudibus die noctuque ita insistunt, ut de eis quoque a propheta dictum possit intelligi: Beati qui habitant in domo tua, Domine, in secula seculorum laudabunt te. Set quid aliquas mundi partes enumero, cum de nostro ultimo Occidente usque ad ipsum Orientem fama hec peruenerit, nec aliquem christiani orbis angulum latuerit? Hec namque est uinea, hii sunt palmites, qui uere uiti Christo inherentes, et a patre agricola purgati, secundum euangelicam sententiam multum fructum afferunt.